On Womens' International Day

NEW DELHI   198Os

"The  outraged modesty of a woman explodes into fierce  rage against  a couple of city thugs.

Crowds are on  the rampage, destroying cars, looting property, setting human beings ablaze, The city is one vast charnel house.  Human life  is literally , in a matter of moments, reduced to ashes. This is the ultimate horror.  For the death of that one man spells the  doom of all humanity. It marks the end of civilisation. It makes a mockery of all out utterences , converts our dream into hideous nightmares. 

Here,  in these pictures, we are dragged into the bottom of the abyss, beyond despair, beyond redemption and hope. We can only stare with horror and stupefaction. And the feeling , slowly seizes us that we  ourselves cannot be absolved  of the  guilt.

The shame of being an Indian today. "

E. ALKAZI. 

ART HERITAGE  5  , SEASON 1985 - 86